Elastic Heart
by deviant bamboo
Summary: Bella is handed the perfect man, but can she keep him? Will her conscience let her? **Entry for the Maybe a HEA Contest – Second Place Winner Public Vote – Validator Hadley Hemingway's Pick**


Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

~~~~EH~~~~

"Bella, could you come in here for a moment?"

Carlisle's stern voice startled me out of my daydream and caused me to nearly spill my coffee. "Certainly, sir," I replied as I rose from my seat and brushed the wrinkles from my shirt. I followed Carlisle into his office and took a seat in the chair across from his desk.

"How long have you worked for me here at Cullen Robotics, Bella?"

"Four wonderful years, Carlisle-"

He nodded and eyed me speculatively. "Four years and not one single mention of a boyfriend or husband," he stated incredulously. "You never go out for drinks with any of the girls here at work and I've never once seen you at any company sponsored events."

My heart began to pound in my chest and my mouth suddenly ran dry. "Is this your way of firing me, Mr. Cullen?"

He chuckled at my obvious discomfort. "Of course not, Bella. I wouldn't make it five minutes without you. You're an exemplary assistant." He sighed and maneuvered around to the front of his desk, leaning against the edge with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked down at me worriedly as I fidgeted under his gaze. "I have to admit, though, that I'm a bit concerned with your lack of personal relationships."

I shook my head and willed my tears away. "Its fine, Carlisle. I actually prefer my life this way. I…I was diagnosed with Avoidant Personality Disorder about eight years ago. It's a social disorder-"

"I'm well acquainted with AvPD, Bella, and I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

"No one does," I whispered, "and I'd rather keep it that way."

"Of course, Bella." He clapped his hands together and straightened his posture, moving back behind his desk to take his seat. "Well, I'll get to the real point behind this meeting then. I need you to participate in an ongoing research and development project."

Settling back into my professional persona, I straightened my back and retrieved my phone in order to access my calendar. "I'd be happy to type up any research or notes-"

"That's not exactly what I mean. I need you to take a more _hands on_ approach," he interjected.

I stared at him utterly bewildered. "I'm afraid I don't understand. I'm not a researcher."

"No…you'd be the test subject. For two months."

~~~~EH~~~~

Was I really so desperate that I would agree to testing out a companion android? A machine that had been built solely for me. Something that was tailored to my very specific needs. I had to admit, Carlisle had made a good pitch. With my disorder, I could have the best of both worlds; someone who would care for me unconditionally, where I could live without fear of rejection. Quite frankly, it sounded too good to be true.

I pulled my phone from my pocket, intent on calling my boss and retracting my agreement to this ridiculous assignment, but was interrupted by a quick rap on my door before I could dial his number.

"Fuck," I moaned, tossing my phone onto the kitchen counter as I made my way to greet my visitor. As I swung the door open, I was met with none other than Rosalie Hale. She was our Director of Operations and quite possibly the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen…and the most intimidating as well.

She barged into my living room as if she owned the place, dragging someone in behind her. "Jesus, Bella, I thought Carlisle was joking when he said you lived above a bakery."

I twisted my fingers nervously, completely uncomfortable having strangers in my personal space. "Yeah, well I don't cook, so it's a comfort to wake up to the smell of fresh baked bread and cinnamon rolls every morning. I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Rosalie wandered around my humble abode, sweeping her long blond hair out of her face and smiling at some aspects of my apartment while scowling at others. "I like it. It's…cozy."

While she perused my home, I took a moment to observe the gentleman she'd brought with her. He stood stoically by my kitchen table, observing mine and Rosalie's interaction carefully. I had to admit he was strikingly handsome with an odd copper colored hair and chiseled jaw. His five o'clock shadow made him look rugged and my heart stuttered in my chest as his bright green eyes met mine. Something about those eyes was so familiar, but I just couldn't place it. I dropped my gaze to the floor, suddenly embarrassed by the situation I found myself in. What must these people think of me?

"Would you both like to have a seat?" I mumbled nervously, gesturing toward my lumpy sofa. "I could get you both something to drink-"

"No need, Bella," Rosalie said flippantly with a wave of her hand. "This won't take long." She moved gracefully back through my living room toward the kitchen. "Edward, come meet Bella."

The beautiful young man pushed away from the counter and approached me with a warm smile and an outstretched hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Bella. My name's Edward."

I grasped his fingers and shivered impulsively as a zing shot up my arm. "Sorry," I muttered, quickly pulling away. "Static electricity." He chuckled and ran his hand through his unruly hair, gazing at me intently. "So are you one of the researchers working on my android?"

Rosalie giggled from behind me. "Edward _is_ your companion android, Bella."

Oh, fuck my life. No way was I surviving this with my dignity intact.

~~~~EH~~~~

The lukewarm water pelted down over my skin as I tried to rationalize my decision. It was only two months. Surely I could coexist with this thing…person…whatever…for two months. Then Carlisle would be appeased and I could return to my job and my solitary existence.

I shivered violently as the last of the hot water finally ran out. Shutting off the shower, I stepped out onto the fuzzy bathmat and took an exorbitant amount of time finishing up my nightly routine. Realizing that in my haste I had neglected to grab any clothes from my bedroom, I settled for my terry cloth robe, wrapping it around me and securing the belt tightly.

Taking a quick peek out the bathroom door, I spied Edward sitting relaxed on my couch in the exact spot I'd left him over an hour ago, his right ankle crossed over his left knee and one arm slung along the back of the couch. I had to admit, I never expected him to be so…human.

Rosalie had explained that Edward was the newest achievement at Cullen Robotics, the most life-like android ever created. He had been preprogrammed with personality traits and unique human characteristics. The body itself was actually comprised of both biological and non-biological aspects, making him all the more realistic and authentic.

Authentic didn't even begin to cover it.

As soon as he saw me staring from the hallway, he smiled widely and patted the sofa cushion next to him, an open invitation. "Come on, Bella. Come sit with me. I promise I won't bite," he laughed, gnashing his teeth together playfully. I was immediately reminded of the food processor I broke last month.

Shaking my head to clear my errant thoughts, I slowly meandered into the living room, keeping a respectable distance between us at all times. "So, Edward…Rosalie said that you would be able to…uh, maintain…the mechanical components-"

"Bella," he sighed, scooting forward to the edge of the couch. "You needn't worry. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." He sighed as he gazed up at me. "Just get to know me."

I turned away from him and his piercing green eyes and toed at the white shag carpet beneath my feet. "Easier said than done," I mumbled under my breath.

"Would you like to listen to some music, Bella? It might help you relax."

I spun back around to look at him. "You can do that? Play music, I mean? Where are the speakers-"

He snickered and rose from the couch, stalking toward me like a true predator. As he leaned down toward my ear, I shivered involuntarily, momentarily stunned by his beautiful smirk. "I'm not an IPod, Bella." He reached both arms around my waist, flicking the on switch to the music system on the shelf behind me, and suddenly the crooning voice of Etta James filled the room. "I noticed your sound system and thought I could turn something on for you."

His close proximity and hot breath against my neck completely overwhelmed my senses. _Turn something on, indeed_.

As if he could read my mind, he chuckled darkly, a deep throaty sound that made my lady bits tingle in a completely disarming way. What the fuck was happening to me?

I ducked out from under his arm and spun around to face him, backing slowly away from him and toward my bedroom door. "So, uh…you'll be fine on the couch? Rose said you don't really sleep, you just power down to recharge…or something. I'm going to head off to bed, so I'll see you in the morning I guess."

He quirked one eyebrow and flashed that devious grin at me. "Good night, Bella," he practically purred.

Unable to reply, I spun around and tripped over my side table, landing on my hands and knees with my bare ass in the air. With my total mortification complete, I crawled the rest of the way to my room and slammed the door behind me. What in the holy hell had I gotten myself into?

~~~~EH~~~~

I rolled over and punched at the feather pillow beneath my head. Sleep had eluded me and it was now nearing six in the morning. Truthfully, I was terrified to leave this bed. Getting up meant that I had to deal with the mechanical sex doll currently taking up residence in my living room. I dropped my face into my hands as tears welled in my eyes. God, I was so ridiculous. As soon as this assignment was over, I was turning in my resignation. This…this was utterly humiliating. I was certain everyone at the company knew about this project by now. The pathetic twenty four year old virgin whose only opportunity for a relationship happened to be battery powered.

My pity party was interrupted by a subtle knock on my bedroom door.

"Bella? Can I come in?" Edward beseeched from the other side.

Looking down at my flimsy camisole and penguin print panties, I quickly pulled the blankets up around me. "Uh, sure Edward. Come on in."

My door swung slowly open and Edward inched his way inside. He was dressed in a pair of flannel pajama pants and a tight gray t-shirt, carrying a breakfast tray with a perfect daisy perched atop a covered plate. I was immediately assaulted with the mouthwatering aroma of bacon and eggs as he set the tray on my lap.

"You made breakfast? For me?" I stared up at him, my lips trembling as fresh tears filled my eyes.

"Of course, sweet girl," he replied, wiping the tears from my cheeks as they spilled over. "Who else would I make breakfast for?" He gingerly tucked the daisy behind my ear and swept the cover from the plate with a flourish. "Voila!"

Despite my tears, I giggled at his exuberance, but my smile fell quickly as reality came crashing back down around me. Oh, if only relationships were really this easy. How I wished this could all be real.

"Bella, are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "I thought you liked eggs."

I wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand and gazed up at him with gratitude. "I'm fine, Edward. I promise. The eggs smell…great. I just didn't sleep well last night."

"I know…I heard you toss and turn all night," he sighed. "I'm sorry if my presence is causing you distress. I know it wasn't Carlisle's intention-"

"Can we just…not talk about it?" I mumbled, pulling my blankets a little closer.

He nodded and graced me with his crooked smile. "Sure, now scooch over and make room." I was shocked as he pulled back the covers and slid into bed next to me. "I made enough for two."

All of my breath left my body in one large swoosh as his flannel covered leg met my bare thigh underneath the blankets. I was wholly unprepared for the fire that ignited in my belly from that one completely innocent touch.

"So, uh, you can eat?" I stuttered, trying to divert my attention from his close proximity and calm my galloping heart.

"Yep," he answered as he picked up the fork and dug into the eggs. He lifted the first bite toward my mouth and smiled as I wrapped my lips around the utensil. I hummed in appreciation as the flavor exploded on my tongue.

"Oh God…best fucking eggs ever," I moaned. "How in the world can you cook like this?"

"Hmm, programmed cookbooks," he mumbled around a mouthful of bacon while he tapped his index finger against his temple. "While I can technically cook anything, I find that I actually _enjoy_ cooking. It's one of my favorite things."

"Good to know," I retorted, my heart aching at the reminder that this wasn't a man sitting here having breakfast with me. It was a machine.

~~~~EH~~~~

We kind of fell into an easy day and our afternoon was much more relaxed as we lazed on the sofa together, my head resting in Edward's lap as he read aloud from my favorite book.

He stopped mid-sentence and looked down at me. "How can Dracula be your favorite book, Bella? There's nothing romantic about this," he chuckled, tossing it onto the coffee table.

"Some parts are romanticized, but that's not why I like it," I shrugged. "I just prefer a fantasy world to the real one, Edward."

"So, you're a fairytale lover? The gallant prince slays the dragon and rescues the princess. True love lasts forever and no one ever grows old and dies."

I smiled at his simple description. "Something like that."

"Seems foolish," he countered. "I much prefer the writing of realists like John Steinbeck. You know, life is never as sweet without the sour."

I sat up and pondered his comment for a moment. "You know that's pretty fucking deep coming from someone who's not technically alive." I quickly slapped my hand over my mouth, immediately regretful for my harsh words. "I'm so sorry, Edward. That was completely thoughtless-"

"…and completely true. Never be sorry for telling me how you feel." He leaned forward and planted a whisper of a kiss on my forehead. His lips were soft and warm and that spark that I felt whenever he touched me lit me up inside. "I just hope that someday you'll be able to look passed the machine and see the man."

~~~~EH~~~~

Moonlight streamed through my window as sleep eluded me once again. God, what I wouldn't give for something to just knock my ass out. I should have been asleep hours ago, but my mind simply wouldn't turn off long enough to give me some peace.

I kept thinking about what Edward said today about seeing the man behind the machine. Was that even possible? I was under the impression that the man in question didn't actually exist; that he was just a product of solenoids and clever programming.

Rosalie and Carlisle had both mentioned that Edward was made specifically for me. Now that I really thought about it though, how was that possible? No one really knew me. Although, they did seem to get it all right. He was incredibly handsome and the human idiosyncrasies made him all the more appealing. He didn't fidget per se, but he ran his hand through his hair often and his smile was a bit crooked. He narrowed his green eyes at me when calling me into question and he sometimes snorted when he laughed.

I smiled at all the ways Edward challenged me today, voicing his own opinions instead of simply bending to my ideals. Our debates were intellectually intense and lit me on fire with their ferocity. I wasn't sure if I wanted to bludgeon him with my book or tackle him to the couch and have my way with him.

Ugh…and the sexually charged tension between us; that beast had a life all its own. I moaned and rolled to my side, trying desperately not to think about the hard planes of his chest clearly visible beneath his t-shirt or how his pajama pants hung a little low on his slender hips. He was much taller than me, but was perfectly proportioned…all lean muscle and chiseled form. A demon sent straight from the depths of hell to torment me. No one was this perfect and no real man had any chance of living up to these standards. So where did that leave me?

 _Wanting._

I shifted again, onto my back this time as my hand traversed down my overheated body of its own accord. Finding my panties damp, I gasped loudly as my fingers explored, moving in circles and bringing me to right to the precipice.

"Bella?" Edward called from just the other side of my door. "Are you alright? I heard you moaning in your sleep."

And just like that, my fire was extinguished. "I'm fine, Edward," I panted, my voice sounding uncharacteristically labored.

"Bella, you don't sound fine. I'm coming in." Before I could protest further Edward barged into my room and, noticing my flushed face, rushed toward me. With a worried look, he gingerly picked up my wrist and placed his other hand on the side of my neck. "Your heart rate is elevated and you're warmer than usual-"

I snatched my wrist out of his grasp and pushed against his chest with both hands. "Get out of here, Edward! I said I was fine!"

He was momentarily stunned and took a moment to regain his bearings before advancing on me again. "You're not fine! Tell me what's wrong!"

I just sat there perplexed, shaking my head in disbelief. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was angry, but I was sure this was just another preprogrammed response to a situation that he considered threatening. He ripped the blankets from the bed, exposing my scantily clad body and gripped both ankles in his firm grasp, pulling me to the edge of the bed.

"If you can't tell me what's wrong then we're going to the hospital. I wasn't programmed for this-"

Before my brain could catch up with my body, I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him down on top of me, my lips crashing against his in a heated kiss. It took him a second to catch up, but after a moment's hesitation he began to respond, sinking his hands into my already tangled hair and deepening our kiss.

He crawled up to the center of the bed with me still wrapped around him and then pressed me into the springy mattress, grinding against me.

I pulled away from his bruising kiss and bit his shoulder as his large hands gripped my hips, repositioning me so that he fell just right in the cradle of my thighs. "Ungh…Edward, fuck that feels good. Please don't stop."

"God, Bella…you make me feel so…I don't have _words_." He punctuated his sentiment with a strong thrust of his hips almost sending me spiraling into oblivion. "This… _this_ I was programmed for-"

My eyes snapped open at his innocuous statement and I scrambled away from him and down onto the floor, my chest heaving as tears stung my eyes. "No, no…this is wrong. I…it's not what I want."

His face held nothing but confusion. "Bella-"

"No, get out. I'm sorry but I just can't…" I trailed off as my body trembled with unreleased tension.

He slowly climbed off my bed and backed slowly toward the door with his hands raised chest height in surrender. "Okay, Bella, I'll go. Just, please calm down. Everything's fine, sweet girl."

"Everything is not fucking fine!" I raged, collapsing into a sobbing heap. "P-please leave m-me alone, Edward."

Without another word he retreated, leaving me to my humiliation.

~~~~EH~~~~

Tuesday had finally rolled around and as promised, I'd brought Edward into the office for his first checkup with the R&D department and my first interview with Rosalie. The last several days after our encounter in my bedroom had been tense to say the least. I was seriously questioning my sanity for ever having agreed to this.

"So, how's the sex?" Rosalie grinned at me from across the couch in her office, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Nonexistent," I mumbled in return, fidgeting with the frayed strings at the bottom of my t-shirt. "Edward and I…we haven't really spoken in a few days. Well, he talks. I just listen and nod accordingly." I wiped a stray tear from under my eye and shrugged. "Hell, we're practically a married couple…simply coexisting in the same space."

"Bella, what's going on? Is Edward not what you wanted?" The pained expression on her face seemed a little severe for our current conversation, almost as if more hinged on this project than I had originally been told.

"Of course he's what I want," I sniffled. Unable to hold my tears at bay any longer, the dam burst and I dissolved into quiet hysterics. "He's…fucking perfect. You've given me my other half, everything I could ever want in a man."

"Then what's the problem?"

I had asked myself that same question over and over in my head, praying for a different response, but my subconscious held strong. "He isn't real. Edward isn't real! He's just a machine that's been programmed to like what I like and do what I ask. That's not a fucking relationship, Rose!"

"Bella-"

"No, don't you Bella me!" I shouted, leaping off the couch. "You have no idea what I'm going through! Why would you do this to me? Is it just for fun? Is this really research?"

Rosalie slowly stood and approached me cautiously with one hand outstretched toward me. "Bella, please-"

I jerked backward away from her. "No…you don't get it, Rose. I want to _love_ him…but it isn't right. None of this is right. I'm sure that the companion android will be a huge success with the desperate and unloved women of the world. So, I want to thank you…for showing me that I'm truly one of them." With those parting words, I turned and bolted from her office, eager to get back home so I could wallow in my own self-loathing.

~~~~EH~~~~

I'd been sobbing into my pillow for the last three hours. My head throbbed and my throat was sore, but I just couldn't find it in me to care. My heart ached at the thought of never seeing Edward again, but I was sure that Rosalie had picked up that phone and called Carlisle the second I'd left her office. Who would knowingly leave such a valuable piece of equipment in the hands of a basket case?

"Bella?" Edward's soft voice whispered from my bedroom doorway. "Are you alright, sweet girl?"

My head snapped in the direction of his gentle voice, confusion clouding my mind. I stared at him candidly, gauging whether or not he was just a figment of my imagination. "Edward? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at Cullen Robotics?"

"I finished with my diagnostic over an hour ago. I waited for you, but you never came." His mouth was turned down at the corners and he seemed distressed by the fact that I hadn't come back to retrieve him. "Rosalie came down and told me that you had fallen ill and needed to go home. Are you unwell?'

I just shook my head at her audacity. So she'd chosen to prolong my torment after everything. Well, I'd signed on for this assignment, so maybe I should just give everyone what they were all waiting for. Steeling my resolve, I reached my hand out toward Edward, beckoning him to me.

With a bewildered look on his beautiful face, he crossed the room and took my hand in his own, that spark travelling through my fingers and up my arm, barely warming my chilled heart. He sat down next to me on the bed and silently waited.

I turned my face away from him and muttered, "Take your clothes off."

"What? Why do I need to take my clothes off?"

I discreetly wiped at the tears gathering in my eyes. "You know why. This is what you were made for…to please me. It's how you were programmed, remember?" It hurt to throw his own words from that disastrous night back at him, but I was barely hanging on to my resolve at this point. "Now please remove you clothes."

He lurched backward as if I'd slapped him. "No," he said firmly. "Not like this Bella." He shook his head at me, his usually vibrant green eyes dulled with pain. "I won't hurt you like that. It would…kill me. I care for you far too much."

At his sincere words, I broke down completely, curling into a fetal position on the bed and openly weeping. Edward tucked himself behind me and rubbed my back, sometimes sweeping the hair from my face and placing light kisses to my temple. After what seemed like an eternity, I was able to rein in my emotions. I turned in his arms to face him and took in the devastation etched on his face.

"Bella, I know that you're…struggling…with what I am, but I need to explain something to you." He closed his eyes and sighed before continuing. "You see me as a collection of parts and programs, a static piece of equipment made to specification, but you're wrong, sweet girl. I'm so much more than that. I'm _capable_ of so much more. I can feel, Bella. I have emotions the same as you. I may not have the context to articulate them correctly, but please believe me when I tell you that my feelings for you are the strongest emotions I've ever felt."

I couldn't speak around the lump in my throat and simply hugged him to me tighter. He pulled me onto his chest and covered us with my blanket, resting his chin on the top of my head while he ran his fingers through my hair.

My eyes grew heavy as I rested against his solid torso. After a long silent moment, I was suddenly struck by the absence of a heartbeat. "How can you care for me if you don't have a heart, Edward?"

He chuckled at my sleepy voice and then sighed contentedly. "I may not have an actual heart, Bella, but if I did…it would beat for you."

~~~~EH~~~~

I gave in. What more could a girl do? I would only describe the last several weeks as…pure bliss. I took Edward's advice and looked passed the mechanics and down to the man he truly was. I could no longer deny that he was indeed one of a kind and I thanked my lucky stars every day for bringing him into my life.

We definitely had our differences of opinion on just about every subject under the sun, but our heated discussions usually ended up in tickle wars, which I lost repeatedly. His quirky sense of humor had me constantly in stitches, but that was nothing compared to the sweet moments.

I often found him watching me intently with a look of pure adoration for no reason at all other than he could. A sheepish smile would creep across his face and he'd tackle me, kissing me senseless. While Edward didn't need sleep, he would lie in bed with me at night, stroking my face and hair, content to watch me dream. I dreamt of him…always.

Edward was surprisingly understanding of my personality disorder and never pushed me outside of my comfort zone. If I ever did find my anxiety rising, he always knew the perfect thing to say to bring me back from a complete meltdown. Mostly we preferred to stay ensconced inside our little bubble.

We made bi-weekly trips to Cullen Robotics so that the R&D team could run diagnostics on Edward and Rosalie could meet with me. I had to admit, our conversations went much smoother than that first heated meeting inside her office. Rosalie seemed genuinely please at the progression of mine and Edward's relationship.

It was after one of those sessions that Edward and I found ourselves wrapped around one another, rolling from one side of my bed to the other. What had started as a perfectly innocent tickle war had ended in an extremely passionate make-out session.

"Ungh, Edward, touch me please," I begged shamelessly as he kissed a wet trail down my neck.

"Please don't beg, Bella. I won't be able to stop if you beg." His hands worked their way under my t-shirt, pulling and tugging it up over my head. I was braless underneath and Edward stared unabashedly at my bare breasts as they came into view. "Oh God, I can't even compute such perfection-"

"Fuck, I love it when you talk dirty in binary code," I giggled as he buried his face in my chest.

"0-1-0-0-1," he mumbled as he tugged playfully at my nipples. "You are so damn beautiful, sweet girl."

I ripped his t-shirt over his head and pushed him back a little so I could reach the button of his jeans, pushing them down his legs and working them the rest of the way off with my feet. Edward didn't care for underwear, so he was completely naked on top of me. I chanced a quick look down, having never seen him fully nude, and was relieved to find a completely average cock. No super-duper enhanced vibrating thingamajig threatening to rip me in half.

"Am I up to par, Bella?" he snickered as he watched my reaction with rapt attention.

"Y-yes," I stuttered, gazing up into those green eyes that I adored.

He kissed me hard while divesting me of the rest of my clothing and then pulled me into his arms. "Are you sure about this, sweet girl?"

"I've never been surer of anything in my life," I smiled sincerely. He brushed the back of his fingers down my cheek as he pushed slowly into me, staring at me intently. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but he stilled for a few moments to allow me time to adjust to his intrusion.

"Are you okay?" he grunted.

"Perfect," I replied, urging him to move. I writhed under him as he began to thrust in earnest, alternating between sweet kisses to my lips and biting nips on my neck. He played my body perfectly as I climbed toward my release.

His thrusts quickened as he grunted against my cheek. "Fuck, Bella. Nothing has ever felt as good as this. I can't explain, there aren't enough words in the entirety of all spoken language-"

I silenced him with a bruising kiss as my orgasm rushed over me; the ecstasy almost too much to bear. He rode out my high with me, prolonging my pleasure before finally slowing his movements. As we lay tangled together on top of the sheet, a thought occurred to me.

"Edward? I never thought to ask, but are you even capable off having an orgasm?" I felt embarrassed and ashamed at having only thought to ask this question now, but his low chuckle quickly put me at ease.

"I guess 'orgasm' is as good a word as any," he replied, smirking at me playfully. "I felt a tingling in my belly, synapses firing like lightening, and the most _immense_ pleasurable sensation. I have no other context with which to describe it. It was the single most extraordinary moment in my entire existence up to this point."

"Mine too," I mumbled, suddenly tired beyond belief. "I love you, Edward."

"Hmm, sleep my sweet girl," he whispered as he wrapped me in his embrace.

~~~~EH~~~~

I was startled awake by the sound of a blaring alarm from downstairs. Edward leapt out of the bed and grabbed my hand, pulling me upright.

"What's that noise?" he shouted over the incessant screeching.

"I think it's the fire alarm from the bakery!"

Startled into action, he raced toward the bedroom door and yanked it open. I was horrified as thick black smoke billowed into my room through the open door. Edward disappeared into the mass only to reappear just as quickly, his beautiful face morphed into one of pure terror.

"Bella, the apartment's on fire! The entire living room is engulfed!" He quickly snatched the blanket from the bed and ran across the hall to the bathroom, reemerging a moment later with a sopping wet heap of fabric in his arms. He slammed the bedroom door closed and stuffed wet towels under the gap between the door and the floor, trying to stem to steady flow of smoke into the room.

I raced to my bedrooms' only window and flipped the lock, preparing myself to jump.

"No, Bella, don't open it!" Edward shouted. The blaring alarm finally died as the electrical outlets began to pop and spark. "There's too much pressure. The additional oxygen will suck the fire right into this room. We have to wait!" He surged forward and wrapped me in the wet blanket, moving us closer to the window as the heat reached epic proportions.

Suddenly, everything seemed to happen at once. We were a mere three feet away from the window when the ceiling began to crack. Edward's eyes widened in surprise and he shoved me out of the way just as a large flaming chunk came crashing down, landing across his legs and back, pinning him to the floor. The introduction of oxygen into the room caused the door to blow off its hinges; flames licking their way towards us as if intent on devouring us whole.

"Edward!" I screamed as I tried to pull him from the burning rubble, but he simply wouldn't budge.

"Bella, you have to go." His eyes were pleading as he squeezed my hand.

"No! I won't leave you! Now help me get you out of here, dammit!"

He struggled for a moment under the weight of the wood and plaster before gazing up at me once more, his eyes full of determination and resolve. "I love you, Bella. Forgive me, please…"

With that last sentiment, he pushed me as hard as he could, crying out with the force of it as I was hurled backward through the window. While I was sure it lasted only a few seconds, I seemed to fall forever, watching horrified as flames completely engulfed the second floor and the rest of the ceiling came tumbling down on top of my beloved. I landed on the freshly cut grass below with a sickening thud, surrounded by shards of glass. It may as well have been my shattered heart lying broken on that lawn. I was only vaguely aware of shouting voices and shadowy figures rushing toward me as I gave into the blissful darkness.

~~~~EH~~~~

The slow methodical beeping broke through the haze in my brain as I struggled to open my eyes. My movements felt sluggish and everything fucking hurt. I knew I was pretty bad off when I shifted a tiny bit and pain shot up my left side, causing me to gasp out loud.

There was a sudden flurry of sound to my right and a warm hand grasped mine. I knew right away it wasn't Edward; there was no spark with this touch.

"Bella?" Carlisle cried. "Can you hear me, sweetheart? Please open your eyes."

I moaned loudly as I tried to move again. "What the fuck happened to me? Where's Edward?"

"Oh, thank God," Carlisle whispered reverently. "The doctor wasn't sure you'd ever wake up. The head trauma…"

"Head trauma? Carlisle, what happened?"

"Bella, there was a fire…"

And just like that it all came rushing back to me. The fire at the front of the apartment, being trapped in the bedroom, Edward wrapping me up in the soaking wet blanket, the roof collapsing.

 _"_ _I love you, Bella. Forgive me, please…"_

"No…" I whispered as stinging tears streaked down my cheeks. "Tell me he made it out of there, Carlisle."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm so very sorry," he cried. "I know that you cared for him deeply."

"No, you're wrong! Edward!" I screeched at the top of my lungs. "Carlisle, where is he? Where's Edward? I want Edward! He can't be gone! He just can't!"

I struggled to disentangle myself from the tubes and wires that tethered me to various machines positioned at the head of my bed, completely ripping the I.V. from my arm. Carlisle did his best to restrain me as he pressed the call button over and over again.

"I need some help in here!" he called out to no one. "Bella, please calm down," he begged as I continued to thrash.

Doctors and nurses came rushing into the room, pulling and tugging at my arms and legs as they tried desperately to keep me still. I sobbed loudly as the doctor thrust a needle into my arm, depressing the plunger quickly before stepping back out of the way. Within just a few moments, my vision became blurry and my limbs grew heavy, my eyes closing of their own accord.

"My Edward can't be gone…" I murmured before darkness took me once more.

The next time my eyes opened, it was morning and Carlisle and Rosalie were in the midst of an intense debate just inside my door.

"He had no right, Rosalie. How could you go along with this?" Carlisle hissed in hushed tones.

"Yeah, like you've ever been able to tell him no," she responded haughtily. "You know how he is and this was your idea to begin with."

"My project, yes, but I never meant for him to go this far. It was a supposed to be a blank bot-"

My increased heart rate must have alerted them to my awakened state because they both immediately shut up and looked over in my direction.

"Oh Bella…honey," Rosalie cooed, hastily making her way over to my bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better, Rose," I whispered weakly. "Do you mind if I speak to Carlisle in private?"

"Not at all." She smiled sympathetically and patted my hand. "I need to head back to the office anyway. I'll see you soon, okay?"

I nodded at her and smiled weakly as she rose from her chair and quietly left the room, casting one more knowing glance at Carlisle before she closed the door behind her.

Carlisle crept toward me cautiously and took Rosalie's vacated seat, grasping my hand in his. "It's good to see you awake, Bella." I'd never noticed before, but Carlisle's eyes were green, almost the exact shade of Edward's. That thought caused my heart to ache, but steeled my resolve nonetheless.

"How long, Carlisle?" I whispered around the painful lump in my throat. "How long until I get him back."

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're asking-"

"I know that he's gone…burned up in the fire, but he was an android," I explained, desperately trying to keep my voice level and rational. "You can remake him. You can give him back to me. Just tell me how long I have to wait."

Carlisle closed his eyes and turned his head away from me. "Bella…I'm so sorry, but he can't be remade. He was a prototype. One of a kind. We could try to remake him, but even with our best efforts, it wouldn't be your Edward."

"So, you're telling me no? That you simply won't do it? You won't even try?" My voice cracked on the last syllable as tears gathered in my eyelashes.

"I want to give him back to you so badly, Bella. I feel completely responsible for all of this, but it just can't be done. It would take years just to build another prototype-"

"Get out," I wheezed. "I want you to leave, Carlisle. Please." I couldn't look at him. Those green eyes…my heart just couldn't take it. Once the door clicked closed behind him, I finally let the tears fall as I was swept away by my grief. Edward was lost to me.

~~~~EH~~~~

"Okay, Ms. Swan, time to get you out of here!" My day nurse, Angie, rolled the wheelchair over to the side of my bed and pressed the brake, using her feet to turn down the foot rests. "Now I know that you're going to miss me, but no water works, please. I'm not wearing waterproof mascara today."

I rolled my eyes at her attempt at humor, but smiled at her regardless. I'd been awake for over a week and was more than ready to get the fuck out of here. Carlisle had graciously set me up in another apartment and was paying the rent despite my protests. He was confident that I would return to work, but I told him not to hold his breath. Truthfully I was still heartbroken over losing Edward and I felt a touch betrayed. Perhaps it was irrational, but it couldn't be helped.

Angie helped me into the wheelchair and rolled me toward the exit, chattering away about the usual nonsense. As we reached the hospital doors, I spotted Rosalie's BMW parked right out front.

"Your chariot awaits, fair Bella," Angie regaled, sweeping into a cute curtsy.

"No, not a chariot, Angie. It's just a car. Fairytales are sweet but they aren't real," I muttered, recounting Edward's philosophy. "Life is real. You'll never enjoy the sweet without the sour."

I smiled tearfully at Angie as Rosalie helped me into the car, waving goodbye through the tinted windows. Our trek to my new apartment was mostly silent, but thankfully tension-free. She knew my emotions were still pretty raw and opted to give me my space instead of trying to make idle chitchat. I was pleased to see that my new home was on the first floor. No more window diving for me, thankfully. Rose gave me a quick tour and then kissed me on the cheek, promising to come and check on me in a few days. I thanked her graciously and led her to the door, hoping I could maintain my composure until after she had left. After all, my meltdown was inevitable.

No sooner had Rosalie left my apartment then there was a quick knock on my door.

"Did you forget something, Rose?" I chuckled, slowly making my way back over to release the chain.

I swung the door open expecting Rosalie, but came face to face with Edward instead. I stood dumbfounded in my doorway for what felt like an eternity as my heart nearly beat out of my chest. Finally shaking myself free from my stupor, I threw myself into his arms, pain be damned. "Oh God, Carlisle said it was impossible. That it would take years to build another you. How?" I buried my head against his chest and wept tears of joy, but it was then that I heard it.

 _Tha-thump tha-thump tha-thump._

I slowly extracted myself from his arms as he begrudgingly released me, a pained expression etched on his beautiful face. "You're not Edward."

He cleared his throat and ran a nervous hand through his hair causing my heart to ache at the familiar gesture. "No…I mean, yes, but no…I'm not. Okay let me start over. My name is Edward Cullen. I'm the lead engineer of the R&D Department at Cullen Robotics."

"I don't understand. Cullen? Are you any relation to Carlisle?"

"He's my father," Edward sighed. "Uh, look I'm sorry to just show up like this, but do you think I could come in for a minute? I…I promise not to take up too much of your time. I just feel like I owe you an explanation."

I nodded my head and shuffled to the side, ushering him through the doorway. He took a seat on the couch and proceeded to fidget, his knees bouncing nervously. My Edward never fidgeted around me; just further proof that my love was truly gone. A lone tear slipped down my cheek as I limped over to the overstuffed chair adjacent to the couch, gingerly taking my seat with a wince. If this man was here to provide an explanation then I was determined to get my questions answered.

I stared at this Edward doppelganger sitting on my couch, marveling at the fact that this Edward and my Edward looked absolutely identical, even donning the same odd colored bronze hair and scruffy face. "Why do you look the same?"

"Well…I designed the android-"

"Edward. His name was Edward," I corrected in a firm voice as another tear slid down my cheek.

"Yes…Edward. I designed him to look exactly like me. He was programmed with my eccentricities, my sense of humor and taste in music and books, even my flawed character traits…all of it. Down to the tiniest detail."

"So what you're saying is that my Edward was basically a robotic version of you. Why would you do that?" I asked, completely perplexed as to his motives.

"That _is_ the question, isn't it?" he mumbled under his breath. Suddenly his expression changed from one of regret to one of complete determination. He slid forward in his seat and placed his elbows on his knees. "Okay, I'm going to be completely blunt and put it all out on the table. Just please let me get through it all without interruption. What you choose to do with me once I'm finished will be completely up to you."

"Alright, I'm listening," I whispered, leaning back in my chair and shifting around a bit to take the pressure off of my hip.

"I have an anxiety disorder, so I'm not really good with people, but despite my shortcomings my father brought me on at Cullen Robotics the day I graduated high school. Given my _impairments_ , I'm afforded certain liberties within the company. The lab…it's mine. I work completely alone. Once a design is finished, the schematics are sent off to our production department and my involvement ends. However, this project was different."

I shook my head and huffed loudly. "That still doesn't explain why-"

He held his hand out beseechingly to stop my rant. "Four years ago I was leaving my father's office when I was nearly trampled at the elevator by this stunning brunette. See, it was her first day as my father's administrative assistant and she was running a few minutes late."

I blushed profusely at the memory. I had wanted to make a good impression on my first day, so I stopped to get Carlisle his favorite coffee. I had rushed off the elevator and managed to trip over my own feet, tackling the poor man that had been walking toward me. I'd managed to save the coffee as the young man righted me, but was completely unnerved when I looked up into his beautiful green eyes. I could barely stutter out an apology before I tucked tail and ran. Now it made sense. Those green eyes.

"One look at the adorably embarrassed expression on your face and I was done…" he sighed, smiling wistfully. "Bella, I've been in love with you since you fell out of that elevator and into my arms. I've watched you…all these years, too afraid to make a move. When Carlisle approached me about the companion android project, I selfishly handpicked you to be the recipient. I thought that maybe…if I made it just like me…and you were receptive…fuck, I'm an idiot. Please, please forgive me, Bella. I know that I fucked up and that I deserve nothing less than for you to boot me out on my ass, but I'm here, Bella…the real me. I'm begging you, please…just give me a chance."

I sat stoically for a moment and absorbed his words. This man, this… _stranger_ …was in love with me. He designed my Edward with all of his own personality traits, in essence pouring himself into a mechanical shell. So was it plausible that if I could fall in love with my Edward, that I could fall in love with this Edward, too? I mean, hadn't I already?

I stood carefully and made my way around the coffee table and took a seat next to Edward. With my head cocked to the side and my bottom lip pinched between my teeth, I studied the man before me. He looked the same, spoke the same…hell, he even smelled the same.

"Bella," he sighed as he raised a shaking hand to caress my cheek with the back of his fingers, his eyes filled with longing.

And there it was…that zing, that magic spark that had once ignited between me and my Edward. I took a deep breath and felt my world slowly shift back into place. This Edward and my Edward, they were one and the same. Leaning forward, I kissed him gently and placed my hand on his chest. Yes, he was my Edward and I loved him. This heart… _his heart,_ it beat just for me.


End file.
